5 Surprising Reasons to Start Exercising

Everybody knows that exercise is good for you, but not many know why. Of course, exercise can help regulate your body weight and it’s good for your cardiovascular system. But for many people, that’s not motivation enough. In fact, one study shows that only 20% of US citizens get the recommended amount of exercise per week. The vast majority of our popularity is completely inactive. (See also: Beginner’s Guide to Exercising at Home)

However, even if these two major reasons aren’t motivation enough, there are still a lot of convincing reasons to start exercising, regardless of age. Even pregnant women can benefit from some light exercise. Exercise has so many benefits, no medicine even comes close. If you need more reasons to sign up for a fitness program, here are some benefits that might surprise you.

#1. It’s Good for The Mind Too

Not only will exercise lead to a healthier body, it will lead to a healthier mind as well. Exercising is known to help people battle depression, it improves memory and makes learning easier. It was also proven that exercise can help prevent one of the scariest illnesses, the Alzheimer’s disease.

Although these benefits are well-documented, scientists still don’t know exactly how exercise modifies the brain functions. One of the reasons is likely that exercise helps increase the blood flow to the brain. This, in turn, nurtures new blood vessels and new brain cells. It helps build new neurons and nurture and repair the existing brain cells.

#2. It Will Make You Happier

Numerous studies have also shown that different types of exercises can make you feel better and help alleviate depression. This is due to the fact that exercising releases a cocktail of chemicals including endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. These chemicals can improve your mood, relieve stress and numb pain.

#3. It Might Slow Aging

Believe it or not, exercising can, in fact, increase your lifespan for up to five years. Some studies suggest exercising can affect how fast the cells age. Aging is a natural process that comes as a result of cells dividing so many times the telomeres get shorter. Telomeres are the protective caps found at the end of chromosomes. Exercise can help protect the telomers by increasing the levels of a molecule that protects them. Therefore, exercise can slow down the aging process on a cellular level.

#4. It Will Do Wonders for Your Skin

Exercise also improves the blood flow to the skin. This helps supply the skin with useful nutrients like oxygen that improve its health and heals wounds faster. That is why exercise is recommended after an injury as soon as the patient feels able to do it. (See also: Everything You Should Know About Natural Skin Care)

#5. It Can Help Control a Major Illness

People with Type 2 diabetes, heart condition, and other chronic illnesses can benefit from a vigorous exercise regime. For decades people with these conditions were advised against exercising, but new studies suggest people who exercise can recover faster. The studies were conducted on patients recovering from a stroke, and the results were nothing short of impressive.

About The Author:

Thomas is an academic who is always looking to expand his knowledge. An avid reader and podcast listener, he believes that a day when you don’t learn anything new is a day wasted. He is interested in technology and sustainable energy, but his true passion and hobby is bookbinding and books in general.

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